1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the transmission of broadcast media over a data network, and more particularly to, a method and system for providing a customized media list to a user over that data network.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional broadcast media (including visual and audio media over a television) has been provided to viewers and listeners for decades and typically falls under the paradigm illustrated in prior art FIG. 1. Prior art FIG. 1 is a block diagram view of a conventional broadcast media paradigm. In prior art FIG. 1, media 5, includes both content 10 (e.g. television shows, sports, news, weather, movies, concerts, etc.) and advertising 15. The content 10 is provided to the viewer and listener for entertainment or information purposes, while the advertising 15 is typically used to provide revenues for the broadcaster 20. The broadcaster 20 also shares the advertising revenues with the content 10 providers. Thus, from FIG. 1, the broadcaster 20 is the distributor 25 of the content 10 and the advertising 15 to the viewer and listener 30 through a distribution means 35. The distribution means 35 includes public broadcast 40, cable 45 distribution and satellite 50 distribution. In essence, the broadcaster 20 distributes the content 10 and advertising 15 through the distribution means 35 and generally shares the costs of distributing such content 10 and advertising 15 with the viewer and listener 30 through the distribution means 35.
Several disadvantages exist with the paradigm of prior art FIG. 1. These disadvantages are shared by the advertisers of the advertising 15, the broadcasters 20 and the viewer and listener 30. A first disadvantage is that the viewer and listener 30 has few options as to the content 10 and advertising 15 that the viewer and listener 30 may view. That is, such content 10 and advertising 15 has already been scheduled by the distributor 25 and the viewer and listener 30 may only watch (or listen to) such content 10 and advertising 15 that has been scheduled. The viewer and listener""s only option is to change the channel on the television or turn off the television. Either option limits the viewing audience for the broadcasters 20, advertisers 15 and content 10 providers.
A second disadvantage is that advertisers can only guess as to the number of the target audiences viewing the content 10. Well known audience estimators only estimate the number or actual viewers and listeners that watch and listen to the content 10 and advertising 15. The advertisers 15 base their targeted audiences on such estimated ratings. Thus, advertisers are paying for advertising that may never reach the full target audience. This is because the advertisement is not reaching 100 percent of the target audience. Also, the current estimate of viewers and listeners only provide a guess on the number of actual viewers and listeners.
A third disadvantage with the paradigm of prior art FIG. 1 is that no one television channel is customized to each viewer and listener. A viewer and listener must therefore search the various contents throughout the television channels which takes time and may result in little or no content and advertising being watched.
A fourth disadvantage is that specific television content 10 is only shown at a specified schedule, which a viewer and listener may not always be available to adhere to. Thus, a viewer is forced to either miss the scheduled content or otherwise must record the content which takes planning and time.
A fifth disadvantage is that the ratings for the audience of a particular content is delayed in the paradigm of prior art FIG. 1. Further, such ratings are imperfect in that only an estimate rather than an actual number of viewers may be given.
A need therefore exists for a method and system for providing media that alleviates many of these disadvantages.
The present invention provides for a method for providing a customized media list to a user over a data network. The method includes the first step of providing a personalized data of the user to a computer system. Then, the computer system generates a customized media list for the user based on the personalized data and provides the customized media list to the user through the computer system. The customized media list represents a customized content and a customized advertising to the user.
In a further embodiment, the method also includes the step of retrieving, through the computer system, a customized media based on the customized media list. The customized content represents a list of television shows and the customized advertising represents a list of advertising commercials, where the list of television shows and the list of advertising commercials are arranged in a predetermined order.
An additional step, in a still further embodiment, of providing the personalized data includes the step of providing a personal profile of the user that contains data describing the user. This substep includes, in this embodiment, providing a television show preference of the user.
The generating step, in another embodiment, also includes generating, through the computer system, the customized media list based on the personal profile, the television show preference, the past viewing habits and a predetermined list of available television shows of the user.
The step of providing the personalized data to the computer system further includes, in another embodiment, providing the personalized data to a client of the computer system and then transmitting the personalized data to a server of the computer system from the client of the computer system. Then, in a further embodiment, the generating step includes the step of generating the customized media list at the server of the computer system.
The step of providing the customized media list to the user further includes, in a still further embodiment, the steps of transmitting the customized media list from a server to the client of the computer system, then retrieving through the client, a customized media being represented by the customized media list immediately upon receiving the customized media list, where the customized media includes a television show and an advertising commercial. Then the step of providing the customized media list from the client to the user is provided. A further embodiment includes a step of providing an option to the user of modifying the customized media list.
The present invention further provides for a system for providing a customized media list to a user over a data network. This system, in one embodiment, includes a server storage medium for storing an entire content media, an entire advertising media and a personal data of the user. In this embodiment, the system further includes a processor for generating a customized media list from the personalized data, the entire content media and the entire advertising media. A transmitting means for transmitting the customized media list over a data network is also included as part of the system. Also as part of the system is a client processor for retrieving the customized media represented by the customized media list. A client storage media is also provided for storing the customized media list and the customized media transmitted from the service processor. The system further includes a client processor that provides an option to the user of modifying the customized media list. Also as part of this system, in a further embodiment, is a display means for displaying the customized media and customized media list to the user.
In a still further embodiment, the present invention further provides for a system that provides a customized media list to a user over a data network that includes a storage means for storing an entire content media, an entire advertising media and a personalized data of the user. The system further has a server processor means for generating a customized media list from the personalized data, the entire content media and the entire advertising media. A transmitting means for transmitting the customized media list over a data network is provided, as is a client processing means for retrieving the customized media represented by the customized media list. A client storage means for storing the customized media list and the customized media transmitted from the server processor is also provided.
The present invention further provides, in another embodiment, for a computer readable medium having computer instructions stored thereon, so that when the computer instructions are loaded into a computer system, those instructions cause the computer system to perform the steps of providing a personalized data of the user to a computer system, then generating a customized media list by the computer system for the user based on the personalized data. A last step is then performed of providing the customized media list to the user through the computer system where the customized media list represents a customized content and a customized advertising.
The present invention also provides, in a still further embodiment, for an electronic signal having data containing computer instructions that, when loaded into a computer system, causes the computer system to perform the steps of providing a personalized data of the user to a computer system, then generating a customized media list by the computer system for the user based on the personalized data, and then providing the customized media list to the user through the computer system where the customized media list represents a customized content and a customized advertising.